Australians appear ready for more radical solutions to the cost-of-living crisis, with price caps on rent, groceries and energy bills topping a list of possible reforms with 70% support.
Those are the results of the latest Guardian Essential poll of 1,139 voters, which also found that half the electorate (50%) is in favour of reducing “tax breaks like negative gearing for property investors”.
With Labor’s Help to Buy shared equity scheme set to return to parliament this week, the poll results appear to be a boost for the Greens, who have delayed that bill to call for a cap on rent increases and reforms to negative gearing and the capital gains tax concession.
In the poll, respondents were concerned about their ability to pay for groceries and essentials (67%), energy (65%), health (61%) and housing (59%). Education (53%) and transport (51%) were still of concern to more than half of voters.
Last week the Albanese government made a series of announcements on grocery prices including more money for the competition watchdog and tighter rules on pricing to crack down on “shrinkflation”.
Less than half (48%) of respondents said the government could have a “large impact” on the price of “groceries and essentials”, although this rose to 59% among respondents who described themselves as either “struggling a bit” or “in serious difficulty” financially. Just over half (52%) said the government could have a “large impact” on housing.
Voters were asked if they supported a series of economic reforms. A majority supported price caps (70%); increasing taxes paid by large corporations (70%); reducing income taxes (65%); funding more social services (61%); running budget surpluses to reduce inflation (60%); and raising the level of income support for the unemployed (53%).
In December 2022 the Albanese government temporarily capped coal and gas prices, but has repeatedly refused Greens’ demands for a cap on rents, arguing it would harm supply.
The poll was conducted after a fortnight of Anthony Albanese and the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, being asked about the treasury conducting modelling on possible changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax.
Half of respondents supported reducing “tax breaks like negative gearing for property investors”, with just 16% opposed and 33% neither supporting nor opposing.
Price caps found support across the political spectrum, with 70% or more support from backers of all parties.
But negative gearing was more polarising with majority support among those voting Labor (56%), Greens (58%) or for minor parties or independents (53%), but less than majority support among Coalition voters (46%).
The poll asked voters if their financial circumstances were: “comfortable”, enough to pay bills, save and buy luxuries; “secure”, to pay bills and have some money spare; “struggling a bit”, meaning they need to budget; or “in serious difficulty” meaning “being able to pay all the bills is a regular concern”.
Of those describing themselves as “comfortable” or “secure”, the poll found 42% support the Coalition, 34% Labor, 8% the Greens, 12% for minor parties or independents and 2% “don’t know”. In two-party preferred terms that group was 51% for the Coalition and 47% for Labor.
Of those who were “struggling a bit” or “in serious difficulty” 30% support Labor, 26% Coalition, 15% Greens, 22% for minor parties and independents, and 7% did not know. In two-party preferred terms that group was 51% for Labor and 43% for the Coalition.
Asked about electric vehicles, 62% of respondents said they don’t own one and don’t intend to buy one, about a third (32%) said they don’t currently own one but intend to buy one within five years and 6% already owned an EV.
When told that “those with a petrol car pay tax on the fuel they buy but there is no similar tax for those who drive EVs”, 40% supported a road user tax on EV cars per kilometre driven, with 27% opposed.
Most respondents (71%) said the gap between rich and poor Australians is increasing, compared with about a quarter (27%) who said it is staying the same and just 2% who said it is decreasing.
In a forced-choice question, a majority (51%) of respondents agreed with the view that “when the economy is growing there is a need for significant government intervention to ensure that economic growth is redistributed fairly”.
By contrast, 29% agreed with the view that “when the economy is growing the benefits flow through to everyone and there is little need for government intervention”. A further 20% were undecided.
The poll found that just 12% of respondents said the political system is “working well”, about half (48%) believe it “needs reform but is fundamentally sound” although many (40%) want “fundamental change”.
Those who describe themselves as “struggling a bit” or “in serious financial difficulty” were more likely to want “fundamental change” with about half (49%) in favour.
